Music without borders

One of those friends is Jeryl Lee, a 25-year-old singer from Malaysia, who also participated in the program. The two quickly bonded during the journey.

"This program was a relaxing journey for me," says Lee, who appeared very laid-back throughout the show.

"Lee is so different from me. I used to be very tense during performances. But after we worked together on stage, I began to relax more," Zhang says.

Lee, in turn, says she greatly admires Zhang's vocal skills and operatic background, finding her performance style delicate and emotionally compelling.

"The emotional connection between a singer and a song is very important," Lee explains.

She says she hopes that in the future she will be able to create music that reflects her own feelings and experiences rather than simply performing songs written by others.

Growing up in Malaysia's multicultural environment, Lee is multilingual and often served as a translator during the journey.

She also took the opportunity to learn some Kazakh. To her, Kazakh songs feel highly visual and evocative, painting vivid scenes through melody and rhythm.

Reflecting on the journey, Kudaibergen recalls an unforgettable moment when participants from different countries were debating a musical decision.

Suddenly, one of them began softly singing a melody from their homeland.

Another joined in.

Then another.

"The other competitors didn't know about that song, but everyone started singing. They started to freestyle, and it was magical," he recalls.

"I think that moment was not about competition, but about connecting hearts."